The Druid of Death - a Sherlock Holmes Adventure

by Richard T. ; Ryan

  “What does it mean?”

  “I should think the meaning is obvious,” he replied.

  “Not to me,” I exclaimed.

  “Think, Watson. How many ‘great walls’ do you know?”

  “You don’t mean Hadrian’s Wall?”

  “I do. Again, a clever diversion. As you know, Hadrian’s Wall was erected in the second century to separate the Romans from the barbarians living in the north. It stretches some 73 miles from Wallsend on the River Tyne in the east to Bowness-on-Solway in the west.”

  “But why send us there?”

  “Because it is impossible to secure. The senders are hoping that we will dispatch officers to all these different locales, thus thinning our ranks considerably, in hopes of preventing a crime.”

  “But what if you are wrong? What if these are legitimate warnings?”

  “Sent by whom? A disenchanted druid who has no interest in the reward? No, my friend. You will notice by the way that none of communiques mentions Merlin’s Mound, and that is by design, I believe. They want us panicked and running hither and yon, while they proceed about their grisly business in another locale altogether. As I have said, Watson, these are some devious minds we are dealing with here.”

  I found my friend’s logic irrefutable, so I gave up the argument. After all, the reward was sizable and not one of the three letters had lodged a claim of any sort, a stark contrast to all of the others.

  After he had read the letters over again, Holmes looked at me and said, “That seals it.”

  “Seals what?”

  “I am going to visit Marlborough tomorrow. I want to familiarize myself with the terrain. I think that may allow me to make some minor modifications to Lestrade’s plan and perhaps bring it more in line with my own.”

  “Are you planning on going alone?”

  “Not if you would care to accompany me. You know how I depend upon you to see the forest while I am examining the trees.”

  “Was that intentional?”

  “I am afraid it was. Somehow, I just couldn’t resist the obvious pun.”

  At that point I must admit to breathing a sigh of relief. I have often remarked upon my friend’s stoical nature, just as I have detailed his flair for the dramatic. Although he keeps it well-hidden, Holmes also has a lighter side that often manifests itself in wordplay. However, I have never heard such light banter pass his lips when things were looking particularly grim. That he could reveal that side of himself now gave me a feeling that no matter how dismal things might appear, Holmes would find a way to right the wrong.

  “I will find someone to cover for me. What time are we leaving?”

  The next morning we boarded the train for Swindon. We had made the journey once before, under rather different circumstances. Now it was just Holmes and myself, and I could see by the glint in his eye that my friend was all business. After arriving in Swindon, we hired a carriage to take us to Marlborough.

  “Are you going to the college?” asked our driver.

  “My colleague has some business there,” said Holmes. “While he is engaged there, I thought I might wander about the village and take in the various sights.”

  “There’s not a great deal to see in the village proper,” said the driver, “except Merlin’s Mound. I expect you’ve heard of that?”

  “Fanciful nonsense,” snorted Holmes.

  “Aye, it is, but don’t tell the tourists that come looking for it. If you’ve a mind, you can take in Stonehenge or perhaps Avebury. They are not too far from Marlborough.”

  “No,” said Holmes. “I think I shall just wander the streets and enjoy the charm of your rustic village. It must be quite something with Christmas fast approaching.”

  “If you want Christmas celebrations, I suggest you look elsewhere. There are a few parties and such at the college, but by and large, once the students leave, it’s pretty desolate until they return.”

  Holmes looked at me knowingly. “Really, I appear to have been misinformed,” he said.

  “Either that or someone is having a good laugh at your expense.”

  “You do have an inn where we can get rooms?” asked Holmes.

  “Of course,” replied the driver. “We may be rural, but we are not savages. For hearty fare and a comfortable mattress, I’d suggest the Green Dragon Inn on High Street. It’s not too far from the college, and the beer is the best in town.”

  “Done,” said Holmes.

  After we had settled at the inn, Holmes and I enjoyed a light lunch before setting out to reconnoiter the grounds of the college. As we walked along High Street in the crisp air, I could only hope that we would be treated to the same kind of weather on the solstice.

  We passed the various shops, a number of which had been decorated for the holidays and crossed Bath Road right onto the college grounds. The mound, impossible to miss, is located right in the center of the grounds. Holmes informed me that like Silbury Hill, it was a manmade structure, possibly the second largest in England. He also said that it had been the site for a Norman castle built by William the Conqueror in the 11th century.

  There are paths around the base of the mound that eventually lead to the top. There is also a path that leads directly to the summit, although you can leave the path at any of the three levels before you arrive at the top. Approximately 60 feet high, the mound features a variety of trees growing at different spots on the various levels. Although there were a number of scrawny looking evergreens, many of the other trees had long since shed their leaves.

  First, we traversed the entire hill, walking both around it to the top and then straight from the top to the bottom and then back up again. Holmes then continued to inspect the terrain for another hour or so, examining the various trees and the few bushes. He seemed to be looking for something although I must confess that I had no idea what he found so interesting.

  When he had finished, Holmes looked at me and said, “It will happen here; of that I am certain.”

  “I do hope you are right.”

  “Now that I have enough facts to form a reasonable hypothesis,” replied Holmes, “I know I am right.”

  “Then why have we been doing all this walking. You often form your theories from the comfort of your chair.”

  “It was imperative that I see this place, Watson. I had to put myself into the mind of the criminal. Now that I have an idea of what he may encounter on that night, I believe that I can predict how he will act and react.”

  “Yes, that’s all well and good, I suppose, but aren’t there other variables that need to be taken into account?”

  “Such as?”

  “How about the weather? You are here on a fine, crisp day. He will be coming here at night. He will not know the ground unless he has studied it.”

  “You outdo yourself, Watson. If he hasn’t been here already, he will be here at least once before the solstice. This is a killer who leaves nothing to chance.”

  “Yes, but suppose it is pouring rain? Or we should receive an early snow?”

  “I do not think mere inclemency will deter this killer from keeping his date with destiny,” said Holmes. “I know for certain that it will not preclude me from mine.”

  Chapter 21

  We enjoyed a fine dinner at the Green Dragon, and the beer was, as the driver had promised, truly excellent. The next morning, we returned to Merlin’s Mound where Holmes made a second examination of the trees and bushes. He even timed himself walking to the top on the direct path.

  “Once he is on the grounds, he will be alone, except for his victim,” said Holmes. “Walking leisurely, I can get from the top to the bottom in about 20 seconds. Once he reaches the top, he is also out of sight, and he will be able to hear anyone approaching.

  “Since he can run down any side of the hill at the first sign of danger, this is the perfect spot to commit his crime. It is isolated, and as a soldier, you can appreciate the advantage of holding the high ground.”

  I thought about everything
Holmes said as we made our way back along High Street to collect our bags at the inn. Once again, he had summed everything up quite neatly.

  “You know, Holmes,” I began, “I quite understand everything that you have said, but haven’t you even the slightest reservation, perhaps some niggling doubt that you may be wrong?”

  I waited for an answer in vain, and then I realized that Holmes was no longer beside me. Turning back, I saw him examining the items in the window of a dry goods shop. As I started to return to him, he turned to me and we met in the middle.

  “I have to thank you, Watson. Your concerns about the weather have given me an idea that may help in our efforts to bring this case to a close.”

  “What did I say?”

  Ignoring me, Holmes said, “Two of Lestrade’s men are already here, and the others will be arriving shortly. I think it imperative that we meet beforehand. Before we leave, I must send a cable to Lestrade.”

  When we returned to the hotel, Holmes asked me to retrieve our bags while he settled the bill. Upon arriving back in the lobby, I found him in conversation with the manager.

  “Yes, we will be returning on the 22nd. I should like to reserve the same rooms if possible as well as one other.”

  He replied, “I don’t think that will be a problem. Things get very quiet here around Christmas. After a quick look at his register, he said, “I look forward to seeing you again on the 22nd, Mr. Landon.”

  While we stood on the curb waiting for the carriage to take us to the station, I asked, “Did you send your cable to Lestrade?”

  “Not yet,” he replied. “I shall send it from Swindon. The fewer people in Marlborough who know our business, the better.”

  As soon as we arrived at the station in Swindon, Holmes located the telegraph office and sent his wire to Lestrade. Once we were settled in our compartment, I asked, “What was so important that you had to contact Lestrade?”

  “As we walked along High Street, I kept thinking about the weather. We are asking men to spend all night out in the cold, with no shelter and no warmth. As we passed that dry goods store, I saw a variety of blankets...”

  Before he could finish his sentence, I said, “Camouflage!”

  “Watson, you outdo yourself. Please write this down for me. I want each of Lestrade’s men to have two blankets - one of forest green and the other dark brown. They can conceal themselves using the one that better blends into their surroundings, and employ the other as they see fit to try to stay warm. I also want each man to have a dark lantern as well as a Webley.”

  I looked at him and said, “I shall have my service revolver, as you know, but do you really think it wise to have so many people in one place carrying pistols? Also, do you think Lestrade will be able to get permission to arm his men?”

  “You cannot be serious,” he replied. “We are dealing with a man who has killed thrice already, and we are hoping to prevent him from carrying out a fourth murder. This is a man with few, if any, qualms about taking innocent lives. Hopefully, the revolvers will never be employed, but I should feel terribly remiss if we did not make every attempt to provide these men with the opportunity to protect themselves.”

  Once again, I could see no weaknesses in Holmes’ logic.

  The next few days found Holmes in constant motion, and were it any other man, I might have worried about a lack of rest and proper nutrition taking its toll.

  Finally on Thursday, December 21st, things slowed for Holmes. He ate a leisurely breakfast and spent the rest of the morning reading the papers, including those he had missed during his flurry of activity.

  “It appears that the criminal element is conspiring with us to catch this killer,” he remarked. “Three days, and not a single serious crime.”

  “Perhaps people are just on their best behavior with Christmas approaching.”

  “In all my years, I have never seen crime recognize a holiday of any sort,” he added. “In fact, festive occasions seem to me, at any rate, to be the breeding grounds for any number of felonious enterprises.”

  I remember thinking to myself, “Sherlock Holmes can be called a great many things, but I don’t think anyone would ever accuse him of being sentimental.”

  At about three in the afternoon, there was a rap on the door. “Come in, Lestrade,” said Holmes.

  After Lestrade had been seated, Holmes looked at him and said, “Is everything in place?”

  “Aye, Mr. Holmes. Each of my men has purchased the blankets and a dark lantern. I have obtained permission from my superiors to equip them with guns for that one night. I also instructed each man to wear gloves; warm, dark clothing; and a hat.

  “I have to thank you for your suggestion. I spoke to Sir Edward Bradford.”

  “And what did the Commissioner have to say?”

  “He agreed that the Webleys might come in handy on this particular case, and in addition to the revolvers, each man also has a cosh - just in case. I have also asked them to purchase additional blankets and lanterns for us.”

  “Well done, Lestrade. And where and when are we meeting them?”

  “I thought we should meet them early, so I told them to be at the Goddard Arms in Swindon at 8 a.m.”

  “Well that leaves us a choice,” said Holmes. “We can either get up very early tomorrow or travel down there this evening.”

  “I was planning on going tonight,” said Lestrade. “I have reserved one room, but I should be able to secure two more.”

  Looking at me, Holmes raised an eyebrow and said only, “Watson?”

  “Well there is no time like the present,” I suppose. “Just give me a few minutes to pack a bag.”

  “Don’t dilly-dally,” said Holmes. While I was in my room I could hear Holmes and Lestrade talking though I must confess that I have no idea what was said.

  And so it was that Holmes, Lestrade and I once more shared a carriage as we rode from London to Swindon. While our first excursion had a definite air of excitement, based largely on the Inspector’s intuition, this trip seemed far more businesslike, if such a term can be used for this endeavor. There was little chitchat, and I can still recall the look on Holmes’ face as he sat there in silence.

  As he had on so many other cases, he was running the endgame over and over in his mind, hoping to take into account every possible scenario - a task that given so many variables might have left a lesser man seeking help from any and all quarters. Holmes, however, sat there placidly for close to two hours.

  When we finally pulled into the station at Swindon, I found it difficult to read my friend. If pressed to guess, I should say that he was satisfied with how things had progressed thus far.

  After a short carriage ride from the station to the Goddard Arms, we enjoyed a dinner of roast beef with fresh vegetables and a delightful Bordeaux. Knowing that we had a long day and an even longer night in front of us on the morrow, we turned in early.

  I was awakened the next morning by Holmes knocking on my door. “Come, Watson. We have much to do and little time in which to do it. I’ll meet you in the dining room.”

  When I descended the stairs, I found Holmes and Lestrade in earnest conversation over coffee. Lestrade had ordered poached eggs and a rasher of bacon. Holmes was picking at a roll.

  “The sun sets at exactly 4:33,” Holmes was saying. “I think everyone should be in place no later than seven o’clock.”

  “That’s going to be a long night in the cold,” said Lestrade.

  “What other choice do we have? We have no idea when he will strike, and this is our best chance to catch him before the act.”

  “I am not disagreeing with you, Mr. Holmes. I’m just making an observation,” said Lestrade.

  “Well, let’s see if any of your men have any better suggestions,” said Holmes.

  After we finished our breakfast, we retired to a room in the back of the house that I am guessing was used for socials and the like. Holmes spread out a large map across the table, securing the edges with books a
nd a set of candlesticks.

  He had just finished when there was a knock on the door and two strapping fellows entered. “Ah, Driscoll and Hutchinson,” said Lestrade. “You are prompt.”

  “The others will be along momentarily,” said the one who had been identified as Driscoll. “We saw them on the road behind us.”

  Lestrade then introduced the two officers to Holmes and myself. A few minutes later, there was a knock on the door, and three more men entered. They were all tall and exuded an air of confidence and subtle menace. I do not think I should have liked to take their measure, and was quite glad that they were on our side.

  After we had been introduced to Sergeants Porter, Tierney and Driver, Lestrade began by saying, “Once again, I want to thank you for volunteering for this assignment. We face a long, difficult night, but I am hopeful that we can bring this case to a close.

  “As you know, Mr. Sherlock Holmes has proved invaluable to the Yard on any number of occasions in the past, and he and Dr. Watson will be will be with us tonight.

  “Together, Holmes and I have devised a plan that at its worst will result in the capture of this so-called druidic killer, and with some luck, we may also be able to save a life tonight. I’ll let Mr. Holmes explain the finer points of the plan to you. Just know that you have earned the gratitude of those who are aware of the sacrifices you have made and will make tonight.”

  Holmes looked at the men and said, “Gentlemen, we are facing a most dangerous adversary tonight. We know that he has killed at least three times previously, perhaps more.

  “I fully expect him to take his victim to the top of Merlin’s Mound. You are all familiar with the area?” There were nods all around the table. “Excellent, here is what I propose we do. Dr. Watson and I will be on the topmost level of the mound. We will conceal ourselves at opposite ends. Inspector Lestrade and Sergeant Tierney will conceal themselves on the other two sides. If all goes according to plan, he will be totally surrounded.

  “Now, you others will station yourselves at these spots,” said Holmes, indicating four different locations, one on each side, at the base of the mound. Should the fiend escape our trap on the top level, it will be up to one of you to make certain that he does not get away entirely.